Terminal strip repair unit



Sept. 19, 1950 L. GREEN TERMINAL STRIP REPAIR UNIT Filed July 22, 1948 INVENTOR. Lawrence Green ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 19,1950

TERMINAL STRIP REPAIR UNIT Lawrence Green, Huntington, N. Y., assignor to Republic Aviation Corporation, near Farmingdale, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application J uly 22, 1948, Serial No. 40,135

8 Claims. (Cl. 174-138) This invention relates to repair units for electrical terminal strips wherein a series of terminals or binding posts are spaced one from the other longitudinally of the strip and a plurality of separator posts, designed to maintain the relative positions and spaced relationship of wires leading to the terminals particularly where they join the terminals, are disposed medially between the terminals and is particularly directed to a means for repairing and replacing one or more of these separator posts that may become impaired, broken, or damaged.

Where terminal strips of this type are molded, cast or otherwise formed from any suitable material, such as phenolic or other synthetic resin, the separator posts are customarily formed integrally therewith. Thus, if a post breaks, it has been necessary to remove and replace either a portion of the strip including the broken post, or to remove and replace the entire terminal strip. It is an object of this invention to readily and easily replace a broken or damaged separator post and thereby restore the terminal strip to substantially its original condition without removing or dismounting the strip or any part thereof.

Furthermore, the present invention contemplates a repair unit, one or more of which may be employed and associated with the strip, either before or after it has been installed.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of an electrical terminal strip showing both forms of the present repair unit installed and associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a side or edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one form of the repair unit proposed by the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form thereof.

It is customary to simplify the installation and servicing of complicated or extensive electrical systems by utilizing terminal strips of various types. These terminal strips usually consist of a plurality of binding posts or terminals mounted upon a base of insulating material. To maintain a separation or spaced relative positions of the wires leading to the binding posts or terminals and prevent short-circuits or bridging from one wire to another, separator posts are formed integrally with or are fixedly mounted on the base of insulating material and extend upwardly in the same direction as the terminals and parallel thereto. These separator posts are situated midway between each pair of terminals and are arranged in pairs aligned transversely of the base of the strip to hold the several wires leading to their coacting terminals on the strip approximately parallel and separated one from the other, and to thereby overcome any likelihood of the exposed end of one wire from contacting the exposed end of the next adjacent Wire or terminal. This, of course, eliminates or at least reduces, the likelihood of short-circuits and bridging between the individual Wires leading to the terminals of the strip.

In use and during installation these separator posts frequently become broken or damaged and if the strip has already been installed and the wires attached to the several terminals thereof, it becomes necessar to remove and replace the entire strip, or in the alternative the section thereof containing the broken or damaged post or posts. In either event part or all of the Wires leading to and connected with the terminals must be disconnected and the strip later rewired. Thus, the replacement of a terminal strip, or a part thereof, because of a broken separator post requires time and labor which the present invention is designed to eliminate by providing a repair unit that can be readily and easily installed in the place of an original separator post without disturbing the remainder of the terminal strip or the wires leading to it.

The present invention is of particular use in the electrical systems of aircraft where due to the complexity of the system, as well as the need for frequent service checks and space limitations, terminal strips are used quite extensively, and each terminal strip may have as many as ten or more terminals or binding posts. Since weight and space are important factors in aircraft design and construction, these terminal strips are usually made as light and small as possible, with the result that very limited space is provided for between the terminals and separator posts and this results in breaking the posts during and because of wiring the strip. Moreover, the necessity of realizing the maximum use of all available space within the aircraft, often requires the positioning of a terminal strip in a location that is at best difiicult to reach and in many cases is almost inaccessible. Therefore, due to the lightweight construction of the terminal strips, andthe limited space available for work in con.- nection "therewith, separator posts are often broken during the installation or servicing of the electrical system. Hence in order to insure the safe operation of the aircraft, following the presently accepted practice, it becomes necessary to replace all or a part of the terminal strip. The replacement of a terminal strip in an aircraft not only requires the disconnection of all wires associated with the broken strip and the wiring of the new strip but on occasion entails teardown or disassembling of that section of the aircraft in which the terminal strip is located.

The instant invention proposes a repair or replacement unit or post that may be readily attached to a binding post of a terminal strip to replace an associated separator post that may have been broken during installation, operation, or servicing. By this means, the need for replacing an entire terminal strip or any appreciable part thereof is eliminated and a considerable saving of time, labor and cost is accomplished.

Reference being had more particularly to the drawings, I designates a standard form of electrical terminal strip, having a series of terminals or binding posts I I fixedly mounted at regularly spaced intervals along the longitudinal axis thereof. In orde to isolate each binding post I I, and thus prevent the bare or uninsulated end of a lead or wire attached to one binding post II from coming into contact with the bare or uninsulated end of a wire attached to an adjacent binding post II, the terminal strip is provided with a series of separator posts I2. These separator posts I2 are usually integrally formed with, or fixedly mounted on the terminal strip I0 and are positioned on opposed edges of the strip midway between each pair of binding posts II. Due to this disposition or arrangement of parts, each binding post I I is isolated between four separator posts I2, the geometrical relationship being such as to have four separator posts I2 definingthe corners of a square, while the terminal or binding post I I is located at the center thereof.

A wire or lead is secured orattached to a terminal or binding post I I in the usual manner and this requires that the washer I3 and the nut I4 be backed off or removed to permit the bared end of the wire to be engaged with the binding post I I. Subsequently the washer I3 and nut I4 are replaced and the nut I4 is tightened on the .wire to insure a proper connection between the lead and the binding post II. However, since the working space between the binding post II and its adjacent separator posts I2 is limited, the operations of loosening or tightening the nut I4 and the tools used therein often damage or impair one or more of the posts I2 and not infrequently break them from their integral connection with the strip.

To repair a terminal strip having abrokenseparator post, the present invention proposes a substitute or replacement or repair unit generally indicated as I 5, and best illustrated in'Fig. 3. The replacement or repair unit I5 is formed entirely from dielectric or non-conductive material such as synthetic resin and comprises a relatively thin flat mounting plate I6, having an opening I'I-in one extremity of sufficient size or diameter to receive a binding post or terminal II and thereby support and attach the unit thereon. The'opposite extremity of the mounting plate I 6 is provided with a stud or post I8 that is of substantially the same shape and dimensions as one of the separator posts I2 normally inte ral with or fixed to the strip in. Thedistance between the centers of the opening I! and the studor post l 8,of the unit I5 is such that .when theopeningl l ngages a binding post I I, the stud or post I8 can be located in the position normally occupied by one of the adjoining separator posts I2 of the strip.

In order to repair a damaged separator post I2 of a terminal strip ID, the nut I4, washer l3 and any leads attached to the associated binding post or terminal II are removed. Any fragment or part of the broken separator post I2 projecting above the approximate plane of the upper surface of the terminal strip I0 is removed so that the stub of the broken post I2 is smooth and flush with the upper surface of the terminal strip Ill. The repair unit I5 is then so positioned on the binding post I i that the stud I8 or post occupies the former position of the broken separator post I2. The leads or wires, washer I3 and nut I4 are then replaced on the binding post II. To complete the repair of the terminal strip ID, the nut I4 is tightened and the repair unit I5 will then be held in position with its stud or post I8 substituted for the broken or impaired separator post I2 by the clamping pressure of the nut I4 on the apertured end of the mounting plate I6.

From the foregoing it is manifest that by the use of the present repair unit I5, an impaired or broken separator post I2 can be replaced without disturbing the terminal strip II] or any part thereof and by the removal of only the wire leading to the terminal or binding post II adjacent the post I2 being replaced.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a modification of the repair unit illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 wherein means is provided in the unit to prevent any rotary movement of the mounting plate I6 with reference to the terminal or binding post II on which it is mounted and the consequent displacement of the stud or post from its proper operative position. To that end an arm 20 is rigidly secured to, or formed integrally with, the orificed end of the mounting plate I6 and is angularly disposed relative to said plate. The angle between the mounting plate I6 and the arm 20 may vary, dependent upon the relative position of the terminal I I to the several separator posts I2, but usu ally the arm 20 is disposed at an angle of ninety degrees or less with respect to the plate I6. In any event this angle between the plate I6 and the arm 20 must be such that when the opening I I of the plate engages a terminal II and the stud or post I8 is in its proper position to substitute for one of the posts I2 of the terminal strip III, the extremity of the arm will adjoin the base of the next adjacent post I2 of said strip. At its outer extremity the arm 26 is provided with an open recess 2I to receive and embrace the base position of any coacting post I2 and when it thus receives and embraces a post I2 and the opening I! of the unit engages over a terminal I I, the entire unit is held by a post I2 and the arm 20 against any rotary movement on the terminal even though the nut I4 is not clampingly engaging the orificed end of the plate 56.

It is evident from the foregoing that, after a nut I4 has been removed from a terminal -II, the opening I! of a repair unit may receivethat terminal and the recess 2-I of the arm 2!] may be positioned ,over the end of an adjacent-post ,l 2, whereuponthe unit may be lowered upon both the terminal II and post I2 until its parts (plate I6 and arm 26) rest flush up the outer surface of the strip I0. This automatically positions the studor post it in the place of a broken or dainaged post I2. The replacement of the nut I4 on the terminal will hold the repair unit against removal or movement awayirom the outer surface of the strip.

It is to be noted that dimensions of the repair units will vary in accordance with each particular type or size of terminal strip, but in each instance the dimensions should be such that the replacement stud or post I8 will always be located in a position normally occupied by a separator post l2.

What is claimed is:

1. A repair unit for a separator post of a terminal strip having a series of spaced binding posts and a plurality of separator posts associated with and equidistant from each binding post comprising a plate having an opening in one end for the reception of a binding post, and a substitute separator post carried by and projecting from its opposite end, the distance be-- tween the centers of said opening and substitute separator post being approximately equal to the distance between the center of a binding post and the center of an associated separator post.

2. A repair unit consisting of a relatively narrow mounting plate of dielectric material having an opening therein adjoining one of its ends, and a post of dielectric material disposed normal to the surface of the plate and fixedly attached to the other end of said plate.

3. A repair unit of dielectric material consisting of a relatively thin, narrow mounting plate of dielectric material having an opening piercing one of its ends, and a relatively thick post formed integrally with and disposed normal to the sur face of said plate at or adjacent the other of its ends.

4. A repair unit for strips having spaced terminals and separator posts disposed between said terminals comprising a mounting plate, an arm extending angularly from one end of said plate, said unit having an opening in one end of the mounting plate for engagement with a binding post of the terminal strip and a recess in the outer end of said arm, and a stud carried by and projecting from the outer extremity of the mounting plate.

5. A repair unit for an electrical terminal strip having a series of spaced binding posts and a series of separator posts associated with and spaced equidistantly from each binding post, comprising a mounting member consisting of a plurality of arms angularly disposed one to the other, means for engaging a binding post adjoining the junction between said arms, means at the extremity of one of said arms to engage one of said associated separator posts, and a fixed stud positioned normal to the plane of the mounting member at the extremity of the other of said arms.

6. A repair unit for a terminal strip having a terminal and separator posts associated therewith comprising a supporting plate, an angularly disposed arm fixed to one end of said plate, and an upright stud immovably carried by the opposite end of said plate, the end of the plate opposed to the stud having an opening therein to receive the terminal of the strip and the outer end of the arm having a recess therein for the reception of an associated separator post therein.

7. A repair unit for a terminal strip having a terminal and separator posts associated therewith comprising a supporting plate, an angularly disposed arm fixed to one end of said plate, and an upright stud immovably carried by the opposite end of said plate, the end of the plate opposed to the stud having an opening therein to receive the terminal of the strip and the outer end of the arm having a recess therein for the reception of an associated separator post therein, the distance between the centers of said opening and said stud being substantially equal to that between the centers of the terminal and an associated separator post.

8. A repair unit for a terminal strip having a terminal and separator posts associated therewith comprising a supporting plate, an angularly disposed arm fixed to one end of said plate, and an upright stud immovably carried by the opposite end of said plate, the end of the plate opposed to the stud having an opening therein to receive a terminal of the strip and the outer end of the arm having a recess therein for the reception of an associated separator post therein, the distance between the centers of said opening and said stud being substantially equal to that between the centers of the terminal and an associated separator post and the distance between the center of said opening and the recess aforesaid being substantially equal to that between the center of the terminal and the nearest point on the surface of an associated separator post.

LAWRENCE GREEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,728,330 Burli Sept. 17, 1929 2,116,388 Eichblatt May 3, 1938 2,427,118 Baumann Sept. 9, 1947 

